Bikers Hostel

Alright everyone, I am currently seeking information which will assist me in setting up a hostel specifically for riders in the Mournes. Its going to be about 2 minutes drive from Moneyscalp, 20 from Kilbroney Park and 5 from Tollymore, Donard and Castlewellan woods. All great riding spots if you haven't already been and hopefully the sites of purpose built trails in the next couple of years. Are there any features which you would consider essential/useful/desirable in a hostel accommodation which I may not have considered?

Also, how many of you would be interested in using decent, but well priced accommodation in the Mournes with very secure storage, cleaning, workshop and drying room facilities?

Any feedback will be really gratefully received.

Thanks,

Ian.

sounds fantastic ! a bloody big drying room and bike wash !

first off - best of luck with it - sounds like a great venture

here's my ideal hostel:
after a hard days biking there'd be various means to wind down:

good showers
a nice big telly and DVD with a collection of comedy videos (ie;EPIC spins footage)
a good decent stereo for the rock n roll
a south-facing deck/loungers/table/chairs outside
a big enough fridge for all the jackeen's beers
a bar-b-q for whenever summer comes round again
wireless internet - for posting up videos of the days deadliness and making those that didn't come on the trip mad jealous
and no ensuites that don't have a window that opens (human nuclear gas explosion risks etc....)

oh oh and Kerplunk, or Buckaroo, or Cluedo
none of that brain-taxing chess ****e, Draughts are fine, as are cards - the lads can play for bikes when they lose their shirts

Scrabble as well.

Great idea though. A flat field to allow the possibility of camping would be a cool addition to it.

Sounds like the Railway Hostel in Killarney was a fine experience Fergal. Or is the above an admission that MAD stink?

Jazus lads, you must have the Mornes confused with Spain or something, with your barbeques and south facing patios.

You will need a big place to hang wet stuff, if you could get an indoor mountain, that would be great aswell.

In fact while I think of it, dig a rake of dirt jumps and a pump track in the back garden, and flood light them.

Sounds like a great place for an Epic "Weekend Away"?

Cheers for the feedback, washing and fixing bikes is a priority for me, and everyone needs a drying room. As for the camping, there are fields and that would definitely be in the pipeline as long as I resist building the dirt jumps and pump track on them instead!

BBQ may be a bit hopeful, bought one last year and it got used once!

It'd be really good to get a dual slalom track in a field or somthing if you can. you don't really have to dig anything, just mark one out. It'd be something good to do in the evenings fo sho!

Ideally with less dung than the field in Bree last year. And no one borowing Daddy's Landrover to play in the field either.

you'll never forget that will you? haha

and tim's jeep was great craic....ohh yeah....get a rear wheel drive car for the field too!

I'll get the hostel on the go first and then look at the extras. There is going to be a 4X track built right next to Moneyscalp which is only a couple of minutes down the road but I don't reckon I'd be able to resist getting at least some dirt jumps built with a slopey field to play with!

Nice one Ian, i'm sure the Epic lads will be up north again soon. you will have to join us again. or get yourself down south.